Side impact head restraint system

• US 5,660,414 A
• Filed: 11/02/1995
• Issued: 08/26/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Takata Inc (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata Inc (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hurford, Jonathan Paul, Boumarafi, Mohamed, Karlow, James Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US08/552,071
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 280/749, 280/753, 280/748, 280/730.2, 280/730.1, 280/806, 180/274, 180/282, 60/635, 60/632, 403/329, 403/326
• US Class Current: 280/749
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/08 automatically movable from an inoperative to an operative position, e.g. in a collision electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01

Abstract

A vehicle side impact restraint system especially adapted for providing head impact protection. The system employs a deployable restraint curtain which is maintained stowed in an undeployed condition within a slot along the upper edge of a vehicle side door window. A track assembly is vertically mounted along the rear edge of the window and includes a gas generator, a track, and a sliding projectile. The upper edge of the triangularly shaped curtain is attached to the vehicle whereas the rear end of the lower edge is mounted to the projectile. Upon deployment, the sliding projectile pulls the curtain to a downward position in response to a deployment signal sent to the gas generator. The projectile reaches the lower end of the track where it is locked in position thus stretching the curtain across a portion of the window area, thus providing a surface for impact energy absorption.

Claims

1. A restraint system for providing side impact protection for a motor vehicle occupant and adapted to be mounted to the vehicle adjacent the window area of a side door of the vehicle, comprising:

a restraint curtain having an upper edge affixed to said vehicle along the upper perimeter of said window area and having a lower edge having one end affixed to said vehicle and a second opposite end;

a track mounted in a generally vertical orientation adjacent said window area and having a first end and a second end, said track having a longitudinal open slot extending between said first end to said second end, said track having a deflectable latching means adjacent said second end;

a gas generator mounted to said track for generating gas in response to a crash signal and having a gas discharge nozzle; and

a sliding projectile having a first end proximate said discharge nozzle and being moveable along said track and affixed to said restraint curtain second end, said projectile maintained in a position adjacent said gas generator at said first end of said track in a normal non-deployed condition with said curtain in a folded condition and wherein, in response to said crash signal, said gas generator generates gas discharging through said discharge nozzle thereby creating a gas pressure, said gas pressure causing said projectile to be propelled over a portion of said track, which is substantially less than the length of said track, until venting of said gas pressure occurs through said open slot, whereby said projectile travels along a remaining portion of said track to said second end only by the momentum imparted upon said projectile by said gas pressure, thereby pulling said curtain into a deployed condition covering at least a portion of said window area, said projectile engaging said deflectable latching means thereby maintaining said projectile at said second end, thus providing restraint for said occupant.

2. A restraint system according to claim 1 wherein said track has a generally "C" shaped cross-sectional configuration having, said open slot along at least a portion of its length, and said sliding projectile being confined to slide within said track and having an attachment ear extending through said slot and being affixed to said curtain second end.

3. A restraint system according to claim 1 wherein said deflectable latching means comprises a ramp formed by said track and oriented to be contacted and deflect by said sliding projectile as said projectile travels along said track toward said second end and having an end surface which contacts said projectile to prevent movement of said projectile to said first end in response to restraint loads acting on said curtain.

4. A restraint system for providing side-impact protection for a motor vehicle occupant and adapted to be mounted adjacent the window area of the side door of the vehicle comprising:

a restraint curtain of generally triangular shape having an upper edge affixed to said vehicle along an upper perimeter of said window area and having a lower edge having one end affixed to said vehicle and a second opposite end;

a track mounted in a generally vertical orientation adjacent a rear edge of said window area, said track having an upper end and an opposite lower end;

a gas generator mounted at said upper end of said track for generating gas in response to a crash signal and having a gas discharge nozzle;

a sliding projectile proximate said discharge nozzle and being movable along said track and affixed to said restraint curtain second end, said projectile maintained in an upper position adjacent said gas generator at said upper end of said track in a normal non-deployed condition with said curtain in a folded condition and wherein, in response to said crash signal, said gas generator generates gas which propels said projectile over a portion of the length of said track said projectile being propelled over a remaining portion of said track only by the momentum imparted upon said projectile by said gas, said projectile traveling downwardly along said track to said opposite lower end thereby pulling said curtain lower edge second end thereby pulling said restraint curtain into a deployed condition covering at least a portion of said window area thus providing restraint for said occupant; and

deflectable latching means adjacent said track lower end for maintaining said sliding projectile at said lower end in said deployed condition.

5. A restraint system according to claim 4 wherein said track has a generally "C" shaped cross-sectional configuration having an open slot along at least a portion of its length, and said sliding projectile being confined to slide within said track and having an attachment ear extending through said slot and being affixed to said curtain lower edge second end.

6. A restraint system according to claim 4 wherein said deflectable latching means comprises a ramp formed by said track and oriented to be contacted and deflected by said sliding projectile as said projectile travels downwardly along said track toward said lower end and having an end surface which contacts said projectile to prevent movement of said projectile to said upper end in response to restraint loads acting on said curtain.